Kildee Reserves $4 Million in Defense Funding

Washington, D.C.  - Representative Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced that $4 million has been approved to fund projects for both Mott Community College and Kettering University in the Defense Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2008.  At Kildee’s request, the bill will provide $3 million for the Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Strategies (IAMMS) at Mott Community College and $1 million for Kettering’s Chemical Warfare Agent Fate Program. 

“I am very pleased that this bill will provide funding to Mott Community College and Kettering University,” said Kildee.  “These institutions will continue to play an important role in making the men and women who serve our armed forces as safe and well-equipped as possible.”

The IAMMS institute at Mott will receive $3 million to fund research to develop advanced manufacturing methods and materials and produce innovative products required by the military.  IAMMS will promote the use of lighter, stronger more corrosion resistant materials to improve the design, and long term viability of military land vehicles.  The Institute will use virtual tools to evaluate potential manufacturing solutions, high-speed machining, and laser and water jet cutting.

Kettering University will be a key partner in the U.S. Department of Defense’s Agent Fate Program, which uses indoor and outdoor experiments to help better protect our troops against chemical warfare agents in the field.  The program develops computer models that can accurately predict how long the chemicals will remain harmful after they are deployed. 

Agent Fate data has already begun to show positive effects on military operations.  The U.S. Air Force has utilized new advancements in the physical transfers of chemical weapons.  Agent Fate will allow military planners to take full advantage the knowledge to evaluate the magnitude of the contaminated environment in which they must operate.  The funding is included in the Chemical and Biological Defense Program budget for the Department of Defense.

“Research conducted at the world class institutions right here in Flint will assist our military men and women in the field, will enable them to recover more quickly from wartime injuries and chemical threats, and it will make our citizens safer here at home,” said Rep. Kildee.

Federal funding for the projects must be approved by the Senate and the President to be appropriated.